Program Scope

The primary purpose of the Department of Counseling is to train professional,
competent, culturally sensitive counselors. Towards this end, the department emphasizes
skill development, a strong conceptual base, an ethical orientation, a sensitivity to
multicultural differences, as well as a focus upon personal awareness and growth.

While the immediate goal of the Department of Counseling is to prepare counselors to
work in the varied communities that make-up the greater Bay Area, it is aware and
responsive to the larger context of society. The department is committed to recruiting
and accepting a multi-racial, multi-ethnic, sexually diverse student body. In this manner,
it hopes to provide service-oriented professionals who are familiar with and responsive to
the needs of the larger community.

The Department of Counseling offers a graduate-level education and training program
that prepares individuals to function as counselors in four-year and community colleges, public and private
schools, business and industry, rehabilitation and mental health settings, and as marriage
and family counselors. Students who complete the department's programs will acquire
competency in common core areas such as: theories of counseling, human development,
socio-cultural factors, assessment and diagnosis, career development, abnormal behavior,
basic interviewing skills, group counseling skills, and research. During their course of
study, students encounter many points of view and are free to choose the professional
approach with which they are most comfortable. In addition to the academic program, the
department emphasizes students' professional development and personal growth

The Department of Counseling offers three master's degrees: the Master of Science in
Counseling with four different emphasescareer, college, gerontology, and school; the
Master of Science in Counseling with a Concentration in Marriage, Family, and Child
Counseling; and the Master of Science in Rehabilitation Counseling. Upon completion of the
above, students are eligible for the following:

Master of Science in CounselingSchool Counseling Specialization.
Students are eligible for the State of California Pupil Personnel Services Credential with
a specialization in School Counseling (K-12).

Master of Science in Counseling: Concentration in Marriage, Family, and Child
Counseling. Students are eligible to sit for the State of
California examination for the Marriage and Family Therapist (MFT) license upon completion of all the Board of Behavioral Science requirements.

Master of Science in Rehabilitation Counseling. Students are eligible
to take the National Certified Rehabilitation Counselor examination.

Students can specialize in more than one area of counseling. For example, a student
whose objective is an MFT license will follow the curriculum for the M.S. in Counseling:
Concentration in MFT, but may also add a second specialization in school, career,
college, gerontology, or rehabilitation counseling by taking all required courses in that
specialization and by completing the required fieldwork..

The Department of Counseling also offers a Minor in Counseling. The program is designed
to meet the following needs: (1) students who want training as a paraprofessional or
counselor aide; (2) students who want to supplement majors which have some
involvement with the helping professions; or (3) students who are considering
graduate study in counseling.

Accreditation. All of the programs offered by the Department of
Counseling are fully accredited. The Department of Counseling programs in school, college,
career, gerontology, and marriage and family counseling are accredited by the Council on
Accreditation of Counselor Education and Related Education Programs (CACREP). The
Rehabilitation Counseling program has national accreditation from the Council on
Rehabilitation Education.

Career Outlook

Students graduating with a master's degree in counseling are eligible for a variety of
career options. The profession of counseling assists clients
to learn about themselves and learn to help themselves within their respective
environments. The role of the professional counselor calls for individuals who possess
skills, attitudes, and knowledge needed to help people make personal life decisions.

Career Counselors work in settings such as schools, colleges,
or employee assistance programs in business and industry. They may also open a private
practice.

College Counselors may become student services professionals
such as activities advisers, EOP counselors, financial aide and recruitment counselors, in
two- and four-year institutions. They may also work for counseling and advising centers.

School Counselors, upon graduation and after
passing the California CBEST examination, receive their State of
California Pupil Personnel Services Credential with a specialization in School Counseling
(K-12) and work in public and private school settings. They do personal and academic
counseling and work in an integrated services team approach with other mental health and
education professionals.

Gerontology Counselors work with older adults and their
families performing case management and counseling in consultation with family members.
Settings may include senior centers, residential homes, agencies, and hospices.

MFT Counselors, upon graduation, are eligible to sit for the
State of California MFT license examination after accumulating a total of 3,000 hours
(1,700 must be post-master's). MFTs work in school, college, agency, and business and
industrial settings. Upon receiving the MFT license, they may also open a private
practice.

Rehabilitation Counselors may become Certified Rehabilitation
Counselors (CRC) upon passing the national examination. They work in private and public
rehabilitation settings with persons who have a variety of disabilities.

MINOR IN COUNSELING

The minor offers four areas of study for all students:

The Field of Counseling. Students are introduced to the counseling
profession through an overview of role and functions in career, college, marriage, family
and child, mental health, and rehabilitation settings; historical perspective;
professional identification; ethical considerations; and self-awareness.

Psychological Understandings. Students receive a general introduction
to the field of psychology.

Skill Training. The development of basic skills which include
attending, responding, interpretation, and decision making. The training includes
practicum experience in interviewing skills.

Electives chosen in consultation with the department's
undergraduate coordinator

6

Total for minor

24

GRADUATE PROGRAMS IN COUNSELING

General Information

The Department of Counseling requires at least 60 units of approved graduate work for
the Master of Science degrees. All students go through a basic core sequence of academic
courses including four semesters of supervised counseling practice and internship.
Students select electives according to their area of specialization. Two different
academic year field placements are required. The department works collaboratively with
over 150 community agencies that provide service and training opportunities for our
students. These agencies are carefully screened to meet our standards. Fieldwork
placements are viewed as an integral part of the training of prospective counselors.

Prior to admission, an applicant may petition the Department of Counseling Selections
Committee for up to 12 hours of appropriate post-baccalaureate degree work taken in other
institutions within seven years of the date of their application. Courses taken for
another degree or credential may not be counted for the Master of Science in
Counseling.

It may be possible to complete the M.S. program either as a full-time student or as a
part-time student taking daytime, late afternoon, and evening classes. Students must,
however, expect that their personal and work schedules will need to be sufficiently
flexible to accommodate fieldwork requirements and department class schedules.

Admission to Program

Prior to enrolling for classes, an applicant needs to successfully complete three
undergraduate
prerequisites with a grade of C or better: theories of personality/counseling, development
through the lifespan, and a psychopathology course. Paid or volunteer experience working
with people is an important factor for admission. Selection of students is based
on academic as well as personal background.

Applicants are admitted as conditionally classified graduate students in the
fall semester only. There is only
one admission per academic year. Admission to the department in the fall
involves the following procedures:

Step 1. Group orientation sessions are held in the fall.
Due to the large number of inquiries regarding the program, these sessions are the
primary opportunity for applicants to secure an application and obtain information.
Additional information may be secured by meeting with appropriate faculty during
posted office hours. The
orientation sessions describe the program, specializations, and the admission/selection
procedures. Applicants who reside outside a 100-mile radius of San Francisco are
exempted from this policy. Contact the Department of Counseling at (415) 338-2005 for further
information or consult the department web page at www.sfsu.edu/~counsel.

Step 2. All applicants must obtain application materials no later than
December 1. Applications must be completed and must arrive in the department no later than January 15, for consideration for admission
into the program for the following fall.

Step 3. Applicants will be notified by the department in late
spring
as to their acceptance/rejection into the program. Applicants who are accepted will also
be notified at that time of the date and time of an orientation meeting for incoming
students.

Step 4. Upon acceptance by the department, instructions for
applying to SFSU will be mailed.

Prerequisites. COUN 690 is a prerequisite for all students
except those specializing exclusively in rehabilitation counseling. This course should be taken
prior to admission into the program or can be taken concurrent with the first semester in
attendance. Students who earn less than a grade of B may repeat the course one time.
Students who do not earn a grade of B or better in the repeated course will not be
considered for classified status.

Prior to Admission to the Program. Applicants may take, on a space
available basis, any of the following courses through Open University: COUN 690, COUN 700,
COUN 702, COUN 703, COUN 715, and COUN 833. Completion of these courses does not guarantee
admission into the program. Students must still apply to the department and be
accepted by the Selections Committee to continue their studies.

Written English Proficiency Requirement

Level One: all students must successfully demonstrate writing
proficiency by passing the Graduate Essay Test (GET). This must be
taken prior to
enrolling in the program. Students who are accepted into the graduate program will be notified in
writing as to the time and date of the examination. Level Two: satisfied
by demonstration of English competency on the final paper for COUN 891.

The M.S. in Counseling incorporates four emphases: career, college, school, and
gerontology. The scope of this degree allows students the flexibility to focus their
attention on specific areas of interest. The student combines the core sequence of classes
the department offers with their specialization. Counselors will be able to function in a
wide variety of community agencies and work with individuals of all ages.

Organization and Administration of Student Services in
Higher Education

3

Gerontological Counseling

GRN 705

Gerontology: An Interdisciplinary Synthesis

3

GRN 710

Aging Process

3

COUN 820

Counseling the Older Adult

2

COUN 821

Mental Health Assessment with the Older Adult

1

School Counseling

COUN 716

Professional Seminar IStructural Elements in School Counseling

3

COUN 717

Professional Seminar IIFunctional Elements in School Counseling

3

COUN 718

Professional Seminar IIIProfessional Issues in School Counseling

3

Pupil Personnel Services Credential: School Counseling Designation

Pupil Personnel Services Credential Only Program

School counselors are professionals who specialize in assisting students in
public and private schools (grades K-12) with effective counseling, guidance
programs, and services that are designed to meet students' personal, social, and
career needs. The Pupil Personnel Services Credential (PPSC) program in school
counseling is designed to accommodate those individuals who currently hold a
master's degree in counseling or a closely related field and who wish to acquire
a credential enabling them to work as a school counselor in a public school
setting.

Employment Prospects. The Department of Education notes that 190,000
teachers will have to be trained and hired to teach a projected increase of
33.1% in the school age population in the coming years. The hiring of school
counselors will likely follow.

General Information

Students completing the PPSC program in school counseling in the Department
of Counseling will meet the standards of quality and effectiveness as
recommended by the California Commission of Teacher Credentialing (CCTC).

The program is designed to supplement in a systematic manner an already
completed master's degree. It comprises a minimum of fifteen semester units that
can be completed in three semesters. The three-course school specialization
sequence is offered fall, spring, fall. Students also complete a post-master's
internship.

Admissions Procedure

Contact the Department of Counseling at (415) 338-2005 to obtain an
application, which must be received in the department no later than April 15th
of each year. The department accepts students for the fall semester
only. The coordinator reviews each application and, if accepted, consultation
with the coordinator of the school counseling program is required to determine
which classes are needed to complete the PPSC program. Upon departmental review
of the application and acceptance to the credential program, the student is
invited for advising and orientation.

Upon acceptance by the department, applicants must apply to the university in
order to register for courses.

Required Course Work

Units

COUN 716

Professional Seminar I--Structural Elements in School
Counseling

3

COUN 717

Professional Seminar II--Functional Elements in School
Counseling

3

COUN 718

Professional Seminar III--Professional Issues in School
Counseling

3

COUN 850

Second Specialization Internship

6

Minimum total

15

Additional Courses

In order to meet the national American Counseling Association (ACA), the
Council for Accreditation of Counseling and Related Educational Programs (CACREP),
and the California Commission on Teacher Credentialing (CCTC) professional
standards, upon advisement, students may be required to take additional course
work to meet program and credential requirements. Typical content courses
include the following:

Assessment in Counseling
Alcohol and Substance Abuse
Integrated and Collaborative Services for Children (elective)
Group Counseling Process
Social and Cultural Foundations in Counseling
Law and Ethics in Counseling
Couples and Family Counseling
Counseling Aspects of Sexuality

Required Fieldwork

The state-mandated requirements are as follows:

Field Practice

Each candidate in field practice must demonstrate knowledge and
skill in the areas of educational assessment, personal and social counseling,
academic and career counseling, program development, program coordination and
supervision, consultation, legal issues, and professional ethics.

A minimum of 600 clock hours of field practice are required in a K-12 school
setting in direct contact with pupils.

Fieldwork shall be provided in at least two of three settings (elementary,
middle, and/or high school) with a minimum of 100 hours at each setting.

At least 100 clock hours shall be with at least ten pupils (individually
and/or in a group) of a racial/ethnic background different from that of the
candidate.

A minimum of 25 clock hours will involve group counseling and guidance
activities in a school setting.

Up to 150 clock hours may be in a setting other than schools counseling
school age (K-12) youth provided that the candidate is supervised by an
experienced practitioner who holds the Pupil Personnel Services Credential.

The M.S. in Counseling: Concentration in Marriage, Family, and Child Counseling
provides the student with a degree that can lead to practice as a licensed
marriage and family therapist (MFT). The MFT
counselor meets with individuals, groups, and families that are in need of assistance in
working through personal issues. MFT counselors work in a large variety of public and
private community agencies, schools, hospitals, and other settings, including private
practice.

Rehabilitation counseling is a profession which addresses the vocational,
psycho-social, and independent living needs of adults with physical disabilities, sensory
impairments, emotional disabilities, chemical dependencies, learning disabilities,
developmental disabilities, and neurological disorders. Rehabilitation counselors assist
persons with disabilities in vocational, educational, and social adjustment, working
collaboratively with the client to understand existing problems, barriers, and potential
in order to facilitate the client's use of personal and environmental resources for
career, personal, social, and community adjustment following disability. Trained
counselors are in demand in public and private rehabilitation programs, worker's
compensation agencies, independent living centers, business and industry, substance abuse
facilities, colleges and universities, job training centers, private and non-profit
community-based organizations, correctional facilities, employee assistance programs,
mental health centers, and supported employment programs. Graduates are eligible to take a
national examination to become a Certified Rehabilitation Counselor (CRC).

CERTIFICATE IN COUNSELING DEAF PERSONS

General Information

The purpose of this certificate is to attest to students having completed the full body of
course work and fieldwork that is required to be considered a specialist qualified to counsel
deaf persons. This certificate reflects preparation to work with culturally deaf persons and
other deaf people who use American Sign Language. To obtain this certificate one must have at
least an intermediate level of American Sign Language proficiency as evaluated by the
California Department of Rehabilitation or other certifying body such as the Registry of
Interpreters of the Deaf.

Admission and Course Requirements

The admission requirements and application process are the same as the graduate program
in rehabilitation counseling. Proficiency in sign language and experience with deafened
and hard-of-hearing persons
are additional important entry considerations. Current enrollment in the SFSU
master's program in rehabilitation counseling or completion of an accredited
master's level program in rehabilitation
counseling, counseling, social work, or psychology is required along with relevant background for entry into the program.

Curriculum

Units

COUN 750

Planning for Deaf, Deafened, and Hard of Hearing Persons in Vocational
Rehabilitation

1

COUN 751

Psychosocial Implications of Deafness and Hearing Loss from an Early Age

1

COUN 752

Psychosocial Implications of Deafness and Hearing Loss after the
Acquisition of Language

Special Conditions in Mental Health Assessment of Deaf and Hard of Hearing
Persons

1

COUN 755

Hearing Loss for Rehabilitation Counselors

1

COUN 756

Coping Strategies: Hearing Loss and Work

1

COUN 757

Psychological Testing of Deaf, Deafened, and Hard of Hearing Persons

1

COUN 758

Psychological Testing of Deaf and Hard of Hearing PersonsApplications
and Critiquing Test Reports

1

COUN 759

Substance Abuse: Working with Deaf and Hard of Hearing Persons

1

SPED 690

Deaf Community Culture

2

Internship Requirement
600 hours in an approved agency, to be taken in one of the following: COUN 705, 735, 892,
or 850

1-6

Total for certificate

13-18

CERTIFICATE IN COUNSELING DEAFENED AND HARD OF HEARING PERSONS

General Information

The purpose of this certificate is to attest that students have completed the full body of
course work and fieldwork that is required to be considered a specialist qualified to counsel
deafened and hard of hearing persons. Sign language proficiency is encouraged, but not required.

Admission and Course Requirements

The admission requirements and application process are the same as the graduate program
in rehabilitation counseling. The person's proficiency in sign language and experience with
deafened and hard of hearing persons are additional important entry considerations.
Current enrollment in the SFSU master's program in rehabilitation counseling or
completion of an accredited master's level program in rehabilitation counseling, counseling, social work,
or psychology is required along with relevant background for entry into the program.

Curriculum

Units

COUN 750

Planning for Deaf, Deafened, and Hard of Hearing Persons in Vocational
Rehabilitation

1

COUN 751

Psychosocial Implications of Deafness and Hearing Loss from an Early Age

1

COUN 752

Psychosocial Implications of Deafness and Hearing Loss after the
Acquisition of Language

Special Conditions in Mental Health Assessment of Deaf and Hard of Hearing
Persons

1

COUN 755

Hearing Loss for Rehabilitation Counselors

1

COUN 756

Coping Strategies: Hearing Loss and Work

1

COUN 757

Psychological Testing of Deaf, Deafened, and Hard of Hearing Persons

1

COUN 758

Psychological Testing of Deaf and Hard of Hearing PersonsApplications
and Critiquing Test Reports

1

COUN 759

Substance Abuse: Working with Deaf and Hard of Hearing Persons

1

SPED 690

Deaf Community Culture

2

Internship Requirement
600 hours in an approved agency, to be taken in one of the following: COUN 705, 735, 892,
or 850

1-6

Total for certificate

13-18

CERTIFICATE IN REHABILITATION COUNSELING

General Information

This certificate attests to students having completed the full body of class work and
fieldwork that is required to obtain the master's degree in rehabilitation counseling. It is
designed for students who are currently working on or have completed a master's degree in
counseling at SFSU when the degree objective is not rehabilitation counseling, but who have completed
all of the work to meet the requirements for the rehabilitation counseling master's degree;
e.g., those students with degrees or degree objectives in the M.S. in Counseling
or M.S. in Counseling: Concentration in Marriage, Family, and Child Counseling..

Admission and Course Requirements

Admission requirements are the same as for the graduate program in rehabilitation
counseling. For students who have completed master's degrees in other programs the approval of
the coordinator of the Rehabilitation Counselor Training Program is required.